Speaking after a report by the Public Accounts Select Committee which estimated the cost of rail delays to passengers throughout the UK at £1bn, Ceredigion’s Welsh Liberal Democrat MP Mark Williams urged Network Rail and Arriva Trains Wales to do more to reduce delays.

Although the report acknowledged some improvements had been made to rail services, it noted during 2006-07, the Government provided £3.4bn to Network Rail and £1.7bn to train operating companies.Š

While passengers paid £5.1bn in fares, the National Audit Office had estimated delays cost them £1bn in terms of lost time.

The latest figures for delays on the Cambrian Line showed a punctuality rate of 87.2% in the last year and 86.8% in the last four weeks, meaning nearly a 6th of all trains don’t arrive within 10 minutes of their scheduled time.

Mark Williams added: “Everyone that is frequently delayed on their journey knows how frustrating it is to be late and to miss connections, but this report shows there is a heavy economic cost to delays too.

“The Aberystwyth to Shrewsbury line is severely hit by delays and missed connections.

“Network Rail have a lot to do to improve the infrastructure of the line so that delays can be lessened.”